Separated: Thousands of British citizens are prevented from living with their loved-ones by Home Office rules

Valentines Day: Couples split up by Home Office express their anguish

Valentines Day: Couples split up by Home Office express their anguish

Dozens of British women separated from their husbands by immigration rules gathered outside St Paul's in their bridal dresses today, as they demanded the right to a family life on Valentine's Day.

Under rules introduced 18 months ago, British people cannot bring foreign-born spouses to the UK unless they earn £18,600 a year.

Among the women attending the flash mob event were Rachel, whose Albanian husband has only ever seen their son on Skype, and Hannah, whose army salary still leaves her earning £17 a month too little to be able to bring her American husband to the UK.

The St Paul's flashmob, which took place at 11:30 GMT, was organised by the Divided Families initiative.

The group campaigns for a change in the law, which is thought to affect over 17,000 couples a year.